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Guild: The Astrarium
The Astrarium is an EverQuest Next roleplaying guild. About the Guild The Astrarium is a heavy roleplaying guild in EverQuest Next, drawing on themes of astronomy, astrology, and planar exploration. The core of our guild has been playing online games together for over a decade in some cases, with our individual experiences dating as far back as the original EverQuest and Ultima Online. Although we already know one another, we're always meeting new peope in the games we play and bringing them into the fold, and we hope to meet plenty more in EverQuest Next! The focus of our operation in EverQuest Next is to highlight what we call "organic roleplay". Many of us have fond memories of games like UO and SWG where roleplaying was almost a natural occurrence as a result of the game mechanics, and we feel that as games have become more streamlined over the years, the opportunities for roleplay have required more concession and suspension of disbelief than we'd like. For EverQuest Next, we hope to return to our roots and to be able to integrate roleplay and gameplay into one seamless, ever-changing experience. Although we consider ourselves a "heavy" roleplaying guild, we still take the rest of our games seriously. Competitive play in both PvE and PvP as well as strong OOC relationships are hallmarks of our guild experience, and we've achieved some great things over the years. So if you're looking for great friends, great roleplay, and great gaming all in one package, we hope you'll consider joining us! Making RolePlay Happen Organic roleplay is exactly what it sounds like. Roleplay that occurs effortlessly, naturally, as a result of characters, their interactions, and the rippling effects of that, as opposed to any forced behaviors from the player's end. Organic roleplay is entwined with the world and the game, evolving as part of the natural play experience. We're not big on logging into a game and asking "Where's the roleplay at?" in guild chat. We don't like to pretend that the Estate of Unrest is some "other" haunted mansion, belonging to a member's late uncle. We like to log in, get into character, and go where the winds take us, and we're looking for people who do the same! Making organic roleplay happens relies on members who are committed to playing multifaceted characters with plenty of potential for growth. It relies on a story that can, and will, evolve over time. Although the story of our guild dates back to the beginnings of the Dal Era, the events of the centuries that followed have cast The Astrarium from its pedestal and set the stage for us to re-integrate into society, and re-explore the world. The Astrarium is set to begin EverQuest Next as providers of services, people whom anyone can interact with. We aren't defining ourselves as good or evil, we aren't defining any motivations. We are practitioners of an art and the people who have come to work with us, and our story will evolve in real time over the years of EverQuest Next. A Diverse Cast While The Astrarium's origins are decidedly elvish, and its most common members are scholars and sorcerers by nature, the changes necessitated by the Dragon War and centuries of slavery have led to a much more expansive roster. The few remaining Astrarium elite are now joined by all manner of races and professions as the guild expands to include both practitioners of the art as well as loyal adherents...and who’s to say what became of the stargazers who stayed behind with the Teir’Dal? From Koada'Dal astromancers who command the fury of the stars, to Barbarian shaman who seek guidance from a patron constellation. From seafaring pirates navigating the night skies to Ogre bouncers hired to protect street-performing fortune tellers. There's room for all sorts of characters in our guild, but in keeping with our style of organic roleplay, we only have one request: don't create a character just to join us. Let it come naturally! Joining the Guild Joining The Astrarium is simple: play and, more importantly, roleplay with us! Our guild doesn't employ any sort of application process, but we don't have an open door policy either. Instead, we simply ask that you spend time getting to know us, let us get to know you, and show us that you're interested and committed by actually spending time with us. Our website is open to registration from anyone, and after posting an introduction, visitors will be able to access our general discussion, think tank, and public roleplaying forums to engage with the guild on any level. We consider this an "invite only" scenario as we'll ultimately choose to extend an invitation to people based on our interactions with them, but we promise that we're all very friendly, and we are looking to grow! If you're just looking to join a guild for the sake of being part of something, we probably aren't the right fit for you, and neither is our membership process. If, however, you think we sound amazing, we really encourage you to spend time with us and join our guild...organically! Lore and Background Long ago in the Age of Ascension, the discovery of new technologies and magics propelled the elves into a new era of civilization. As the forest folk raised sprawling cities, so too did they explore new art, new customs, and new ways of understanding the world around them. Among the many things to change in elvish culture, the art of stargazing evolved from a tribal ritual to a religious one, and many talented scryers were sought for their divinations. As ages progressed and the elves discovered the magic of the spires, the practicing stargazers began to theorize that within the vast darkness of the night sky were the myriad worlds their people were beginning to unveil. Scholars and magi were drawn to the theory, and the combined pool of talents became a driving force in revolutionizing the art. The superstitions of fortune-telling soon gave way to a more precise science. The title of stargazer, no longer the sole dominion of oracles and prophets, came to encompass many facets of society. Navigators, farmers, military squadrons and even lone adventurers found themselves relying on the stargazers for the services they could provide. At the height of the art, however, the greatest sorcerers focused on less terrestrial affairs. From their observatories they mapped the heavens, and charted the pathways between worlds. When the shissar betrayed the elves, and the Koada'Dal formed their Takish Empire, these sorcerers were counted among them. In the new capital of Takish'Hiz, the stargazers erected a great sanctuary. The Astrarium, as it came to be known, was the crowning achievement of the stargazers' art. Its silver pillars were the envy of many Takish nobles, carved with the symbols of the celestial bodies. Its domed ceiling was enchanted with a magical sky, upon which the elves could mark the moving stars. At the heart of The Astrarium, a grand orrery spun in perpetual motion, displaying the movements of Norrath in finest detail. From here, the stargazers set about unlocking the infinite mysteries of the cosmos. Although many of its custodians escaped the fate of Takish'Hiz, the Astrarium itself did not. The loss of all their tools and knowledge dealt an immense blow to the stargazers, and set their science back hundreds of years. The looming threat of the Ring of Scale would not allow them to flourish as they once did, and so without a choice, the remaining stargazers of the Astrarium adopted their lost temple's name, and presented themselves and their services to the nascent Combine. The Dragon War ensured that The Astrarium remained useful to the Combine, though they were increasingly pressed to abandon their higher pursuits to serve in lower, more ancient capacities. Astrarium stargazers aided in plotting trade routes, guiding military personnel, and ultimately in navigating the seas after the fall of Bastion. The centuries in Kunark were no kinder to The Astrarium, as their enslavement at the hands of the shissar prevented them from operating in most capacities. Although most of the science was never lost, sickness and death began to claim the few remaining practitioners, and those who came seeking to learn the secrets of stargazing had increasingly fewer opportunities to learn from its true masters. Eventually, much of The Astrarium's role in the Combine was one of providing hope for the enslaved people by divining fortune and fate from the stars, just as the ancient scryers once did. Since their liberation, The Astrarium has remained with the Combine, continuing to serve the people as they remaster their art. The once-elite sorcerers have opened their door to people from all walks of life who seek the wisdom of the stars, ushering in a new chapter for the ancient order. But as the Combine sets sail for Amaril, their course guided by the heavenly bodies, The Astrarium knows that their ancestry is still buried on those distant shores waiting to be unearthed. Learn More Our Mission :Learn more about our style of play and what we’re setting out to achieve. Rules & Code of Conduct :Because membership is a privilege, not a right. The Ten Commandments of RolePlay :We aren’t really commanding you to do anything, but we think this is pretty important to how we function. Category:Guilds